Pentax peddles snapper for portrait pundits

Pentax snapped into action today with the launch of a compact camera geared up more than usual for vertically orientated shots.

The 16Mp Optio VS20 clicks with a photographer's penchant for portraits by including a second shutter release button, zoom wheel and even tripod slot, for use when the snapper is on its side.

The Optio jumps forward through a super-wide 20x optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent of 28-560mm. This boasts a digital boost to 144x, a telephotastic 4032mm in 35mm format.

On the rear resides a 3in, 460,000-dot LCD touchscreen with an anti-glare coating to minimise fingerprint smudges. Users can flick through a range of new scene modes including Handheld Night Snap, Fish Eye and Sketch.

Other features include upgraded face recognition, a smile detection mode and 720p HD video recording.

The Pentax Optio VS20 hits shelves this February in both black and white versions for around £200. ®